Susan Ann (Davis' Gum

Susan Ann (Davis' Gum, 66, passed away May 31, 2009, after a lengthy battle against ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). She was born on Aug. 11, 1942, in Ducktown, Tenn.

When she was 2 years old her family moved to Glacier National Park where her father worked for Morrison-Knudsen Construction. His job at MK moved the family to Brazil for two years when Susan was 5, then to Columbia Falls, where he worked on the Hungry Horse Dam. There Susan attended a one-room school. The school house still stands as a gift shop with her picture hanging on the wall.

Susan graduated from Columbia Falls High School in 1960 and attended Northern Montana College for a year before transferring to Montana State College where she graduated in 1964 with a degree in education. She taught in Torrance, Calif., where she met her husband, also a Montana State graduate. After five years they moved to Spokane, Wash., where she took 10 years off to raise their two children. She returned to teaching fourth grade at Brentwood Elementary for 27 more years.

After retiring in 2006, she and her husband moved to Ferndale, Wash., to watch her grandchildren grow up. While there, she volunteered at her grandchildren's school, St. Joseph Hospital, and was part of the first COPS (Citizens on Patrol) program with the Sheriff's Office.

She was preceded in death by her father, Emmett Davis, and her mother, Miriam. She is survived by her husband, Bob; daughter, Trisha Gum, of Los Angeles, Calif.; son, Jason and daughter-in-law, Angela, and their two children, granddaughters Ellie and Sarah; and her sister, Sherry Farley, and her husband, Burton, of Hardin; nephews Kelly and Mike; and niece Leslie.

Contributions may be made to the ALS Association Evergreen Chapter. Condolences may be sent to bobgum@comcast.net, and you may share your thoughts and memories of Susan in the online guest book at www.molesfuneralhomes.com. Moles Family Funeral Homes & Crematory in Ferndale is caring for Susan's family.